Person with a backpack and cap walks through a green mountain valley surrounded by trees and wildflowers under a partly cloudy sky.

HUT TO HUT HIKING IN MEXICO’S SIERRA DEL NORTE MOUNTAINS

Hike the ‘Pueblos Mancomunados’ in Oaxaca’s Sierra Norte & Help Support Community Based Tourism
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Trip Dates & Booking

Women’s vegan hiking trips are designed to allow you to explore off-the-beat-track places you couldn’t yourself in a supportive space where you can connect, challenge yourself, and experience the thrill of solo travel in a group setting with lovely like-minded ladies who share your love for the outdoors, nature, adventure, and vegan-friendly travel, let’s hike!

What’s Included?

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Accommodation

3 nights hotels in Oaxaca & 6 nights cabins/mountain lodges

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Activities

Fully Supported 7-Day Hut to Hut Hike Including Luggage Transfers

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Vegan Meals

Full board, breakfast, lunch & dinner, delicious vegan meals all included

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Expert Guides

Vegan Adventure Holidays trip leader & expert bilingual local guides

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Private Transfers

Private airport transfers & private transport throughout the trip

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Small Groups

Small, solo-friendly groups of up to 12 like minded vegan adventurers

DATES + PRICES

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Check Out the Trip Photos

A group of nine people pose outdoors on a dirt trail, holding walking sticks, with greenery and blue sky in the background.
Mountain landscape with distant volcanoes under a clear blue sky, forested hills in the foreground, and a valley partially covered by mist.
A wide lake is surrounded by green hills and volcanic mountains under a blue sky with scattered clouds.
Seven women with hiking gear pose in front of the Land's End signpost on a sunny day, with the sea and blue sky in the background.
A scenic view of a lake surrounded by mountains and hills under a partly cloudy blue sky.
A yellow vintage Volkswagen Beetle is parked on a cobblestone street beside an old, weathered building with a yellow facade and arched doorway.
A coastal town with sandy beaches, clear turquoise water, and many people enjoying the shoreline under a cloudy sky. Buildings and a harbor are visible in the background.
A group of eight people posing with hiking sticks on a rocky slope, with mountains and a blue sky in the background.
Colonial street in Antigua, Guatemala, with colorful buildings and the yellow dome of the Church of La Merced in the background under a clear blue sky.
Two tents set up on grassy ground with mountains and a plume of smoke rising from one peak under a clear blue sky.
Green corn plants in the foreground with rolling hills, trees, and distant blue mountains under a partly cloudy sky.
A person sits by a campfire on a hillside, facing a volcano in the distance that is erupting and emitting a large plume of smoke.
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Hike 60 km of scenic trails that connect small out-of-the-way villages throughout the Sierra Norte mountain range

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Enjoy delicious vegan meals bursting with unique Mexican flavours to fuel you on the trail

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Be part of a grassroots initiative that uplifts local communities and have an authentic adventure with a positive impact

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Chat with Emma

Have questions about this trip? You’re very welcome to ask me anything at all, big or small. Whether you’re wondering about the hiking difficulty, the food, the accommodation, travelling solo, what to pack, or whether this adventure is right for you, I’m here to help. I have planned all my trips myself, have walked every mile and know the routes and logistics inside out, so you’ll get honest, practical answers. Just send me a message with your questions, and we can chat about whether this trip feels like a good fit for you.

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Key Trip Information

Hike through the heart of Oaxaca’s Sierra Norte on the legendary Pueblos Mancomunados trail, a community-led ecotourism network of eight self-governing Indigenous villages connected by over 100 km (60 miles) of spectacular mountain paths.

Over 7 days, you’ll hike 60 km through pine forests, cloud-kissed ridgelines, and high mountain passes, staying in village-run lodges and small mountain huts, sharing delicious vegn meals with locals and experiencing their traditions first-hand.

This is more than a hike; it’s a grassroots initiative that directly.

Day 1: Arrive Oaxaca International Airport & Transfer To The Hotel

Welcome to Oaxaca, the modern capital city of the state of Oaxaca!

Get ready to soak up the sights and flavours of Oaxaca City before hitting the trails. After settling into the hotel, we’ll kick off the evening with a quick stroll past the Zocalo, followed by a delicious vegan dinner at a local restaurant with your new hiking friends.

The perfect blend of culture, cuisine, and camaraderie to set the tone for the week of adventure ahead!

People in traditional Mexican attire perform a ribbon dance outdoors in front of a historic stone building, watched by a crowd.

Day 2: Pueblo Llano Grande

Hiking: 5 km
Highlights: Hiking through high-mountain pine forests with our community guide

This morning we’ll leave Oaxaca and head toward the community of Llano Grande in the sweeping Sierra Del Norte mountain range. On arrival in Llano Grande—one of the smallest villages among the Pueblos Mancomunados, we’ll set off on a local trail with our first community guide, a route which will take us high up in the mountain pine forests characteristic of the region for some great views.

After lunch in a nearby ‘comedor’, we’ll join a local family for a serrano bread-making workshop and later spend the night in a cosy local cabin.

A man wearing a red shirt and backpack stands on a mountain overlook, gazing at a vast expanse of green forest and distant hills under a partly cloudy sky.

Day 3: Pueblo Llano Grande to Cuajimoloyas

Hiking: 8 km
Highlights: Sunrise views and early morning hiking along the Latzi hroo lli trail

It’s time to get our day packs ready to head down to the local restaurant for a delicious breakfast, we’ll then meet up with our community guide and continue toward the community of Cuajimoloyas. Today we’ll hike across the highest part of the Pueblos Mancomunados along the Latzi hroo lli trail where you’ll see a variety of medicinal plants and fingers crossed, some orchids!  After lunch, we’ll visit the home of a local family in the community to learn about traditional medicine.

Purple wildflowers grow beside a sunlit dirt path in a pine forest, with tall trees and a blue sky visible in the background.

Day 4: Cuajimoloyas to Benito Juarez

Hiking: 6 km
Highlights: Benito Juarez viewpoint

After breakfast, we’ll begin the hike with our community guide following a rural path used by farmers to reach their land, stopping on the way to learn about the flora and fauna of the area. Later we’ll have lunch in Benito Juarez and a visit to the Benito Juarez viewpoint and hanging bridges, ziplining before dinner is optional!

Day 5: Benito Juarez to La Neveria

Hiking: 7 km
Highlights: Local family visit

The adventure continues! This morning we’ll set off on an 7 km hike to the village of La Nevería, the youngest and smallest community among the Pueblos Mancomunados, its name stems from the work its earliest settlers did in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

After the hike, we’ll enjoy a delicious meal and then visit a local family for dinner, we’ll get hands-on with the food prep before spending the night in cozy cabins.

A small wooden cabin with a red tiled roof and front porch sits on a grassy area surrounded by trees under a clear sky.

Day 6: La Neveria to Latuvi

Hiking: 9 km
Highlights: Hiking through the oak forests of Latuvi

This morning we’ll continue our expedition along a peaceful trail, soaking in the biodiversity and changing climate of the Sierra Norte as we move from the cool pine forests of La Nevería to the lower-altitude oak forests of Latuvi. In the afternoon there will be time to rest and relax and an option to visit a traditional temazcal.

Day 7: Latuvi to Lachatao & Amatlan

Hiking: 14 km
Highlights: Hiking the Camino Real

Today we’ll set out with our community guide and hike one of the most impressive trails in the region: the “Camino Real.” This trail was once part of a broader pre-Hispanic route connecting the Zapotec cities of the Central Valleys with the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way, you can still spot well-preserved remnants of the original stone path, walk beside a river, cross a canyon, and admire the diverse plant life that makes the Sierra Norte so remarkable.

A scenic view of forested hills under a partly cloudy sky, with mist rising between the trees and a leafless branch in the foreground.

Day 8: Vestigios & return to Oaxaca

Hiking: 10 km
Highlights: Exploring Amatlan

We’ll conclude our vegan hiking adventure with an expedition that includes an in-depth tour of the Amatlán community and a relaxed lunch before heading back to Oaxaca in the afternoon in time for a well-deserved and celebratory vegan dinner!

Day 9: Oaxaca Free Day

Two fantastic optional trips are available for your last day in Oaxaca; a vegan cooking class or a visit to the breathtaking Monte Alban ruins.

If you opt for the vegan cooking class, get ready for a relaxed morning exploring the charming colonial neighbourhood of La Merced. You’ll meet local farmers selling freshly harvested organic produce, sample vegan-friendly snacks, and gather ingredients for your Oaxacan-inspired vegan cooking class.

Afterwards, you’ll head to the kitchen to prepare a main dish, salad, refreshing drink, and dessert—from scratch on a traditional stove and enjoy a delicious vegan lunch.

If you’re craving a deeper dive into Oaxaca’s ancient past, you can opt for an excursion to the impressive Monte Albán ruins. Perched atop a panoramic hill just outside the city, this archaeological site once served as the political and cultural center of the Zapotec civilization. Exploring its grand plazas, ceremonial platforms, and intricate carvings offers a fascinating glimpse into a thriving pre-Hispanic world—and spectacular valley views are an added bonus. This optional trip is perfect for history buffs and anyone wanting a unique glimpse of Mexico’s rich heritage.

We’ll come together again in the evening for one last group dinner to celebrate our hiking achievements from the past week!

A group of people in a kitchen prepare food together at a table, surrounded by bowls of fresh vegetables and ingredients.

Day 10: Depart

It’s time to say goodbye to Oaxaca and head home after an amazing week but this isn’t the end of your journey! There are more vegan adventures waiting for you in Guatemala, Costa Rica and England 🙂

This trip starts and finishes in Oaxaca. Oaxaca’s international airport (OAX) is just a 25-minute ride from the city, and your airport transfers are included.

Get ready to eat very, very well on this hike. Every day you’ll be fuelled by piles of fresh, delicious, traditionally Mexican vegan food, lovingly cooked by the local communities along the trail.

Think warm tortillas, slow-cooked beans, mountain-grown vegetables, salsas with just the right amount of kick, and more guacamole than you thought was socially acceptable.

Come for the mountains… stay for the local bread called pan serrano (you’ll find out all about this on day 1)!

Accommodation on this trip is part of the adventure. We start with three nights in a cute, modern hotel right in the heart of Oaxaca, where you can enjoy hot showers, comfy beds and easy access to cafés, markets and mezcal (purely for cultural research, obviously).

On the trail, you’ll spend six nights in shared mountain cabins run by the local communities. They’re rustic but comfortable, which means charming, cosy and full of character, not five-star, but definitely “wow, I’m really in the mountains” vibes.

Expect simple, clean rooms, warm blankets, open fires at night and the kind of deep sleep you only get after a day of hiking and fresh mountain air.

This trip is moderate, but in a very friendly, enjoyable way! The daily hiking isn’t too hard, and most days we’re on the trail until around lunchtime, leaving the afternoons free for community activities and local experiences.

You’ll still enjoy varied terrain, with forest paths, mountain tracks and regular ascents and descents to keep things interesting, but nothing that feels relentless.

The one spicy twist is that we begin at a high starting altitude of 10,000 feet (3,048 metres), so the air is thinner, and you’ll feel like you’ve quietly unlocked “hard mode”… without actually needing to hike any harder.

As we move from the high mountains down toward the valleys, average daytime temperatures gradually warm from a cool and refreshing 10–15°C (50–59°F) at the start of the hike to a much more summery 22–28°C (72–82°F) by the end.

This natural drop in altitude from the start to the finish means you’ll enjoy crisp, clear mountain air early on, where you’ll be reaching for your non-woolly, vegan-friendly hat and coat, then finish the journey in comfortably warm days and milder evenings.

The cost of this trip is US$2200 per person on a shared accommodation basis.

Private rooms are not available for this trip due to the nature of the cabins and mountain lodges we’ll be staying in.

No! All you have to carry is a day bag, you main luggage will be transported each day.

A reasonable base level of fitness is required (comfortably being able to hike 10 miles for example)  and an I’m-going-to-give-it-my-best-shot attitude you’re good to go 🙂

We’ll be hiking in the mountains, elevation will be ranging from 1500 mas to just under 3000 mas, expect mild days and cooler nights.

Absolutely! Around 60% of Vegan Adventure Holidays guests are single travellers, everybody is welcome.

Yes! It’s recommended to get a policy that covers trip and flight cancellations and should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, and evacuation/repatriation. Safetywing and World Nomad have good policies.

Tips for the local guide are not included in the trip cost. These are entirely at your discretion but there is an expectation to tip for good service. I suggest between US$5-10 per person per day.

Email Emma at hello@veganadventureholidays and I’ll answer your questions and queries personally.

✔️ Intermediate hikers looking for a new challenge

✔️ Hikers looking to experience their first long-distance hike

✔️ Single travellers welcome

✔️ Multi passionate adventurers

The Following List Can Be Used As A General Guide

BAGS & LUGGAGE

  • Soft-shelled bag or rucksack (this will be transported, you will not have to carry your main bag)
  • Daypack – 25+ litres should be adequate for daily use during the hike
  • Daypack rain cover

CLOTHING

  • Quick drying t-shirts & long sleeve shirts/sun hoodies
  • Quick drying shorts & hiking trousers trousers
  • A lightweight rain jacket
  • Clothes to sleep in
  • Swimming gear
  • Buff or bandana
  • Sun hat
  • Quick drying socks & underwear

FOOTWEAR

  • Hiking shoes or boots  – these must be worn in and not new!
  • Outdoor/hiking sandals that can be used around camp & at cenotes such as Tevas

OTHER

  • Hiking poles
  • Headlamp & and spare batteries
  • Earplugs & eyemask
  • Quick-drying/camp towel
  • Any personal medicine that you might need
  • General toiletries/hygiene products
  • Insect repellant
  • Sunscreen
  • Polarised sunglasses
  • Water bladder/bottles minimum 2 litres
  • Universal travel adapter
  • Power bank or solar charger
  • Personal first-aid kit (inc. blister treatment)
  • Personal items (biodegradable toiletries, sanitary wear etc)
  • Antibacterial hand-gel

OPTIONAL ITEMS

  • Kula cloth – This is an antimicrobial pee cloth for women that saves carrying toilet paper and reduces waste
  • Electrolyte sachets to add to water
  • Energy gels
  • A waist pack – not obligatory but great for keeping items such as phones, cameras snacks easily accessible